Death Engineering

Flying to the Minty Green One and our first Anomaly Upgraded the tech tree to include some larger tank parts to reduce part count, then off to Minmus. Getting the Minmus mission into orbit was done with a reusable SSTO (with a couple of wee SRB's to help with TWR off the pad). The intent was to try and recover the propulsion module as well, but after trying to aerobrake multiple times to lower the Ap and still blowing up without recovering the entire mission, I gave up and let it burn. This challenge is making me play KSP in ways I haven't done in a long time (maybe never!). Even in a heavily modded extreme hard-mode career playthrough, funds were only relevant in early game, and at most presented a minor barrier. Not with this challenge, funds are going to be close.. especially now that I've decided that I'm not going to drive myself nuts trying to recover every part. As a result of deciding I'm not going to stress over losing a few funds from not recovering everything, I've decided to allow Admin Strategies. Unless things get desperate, I'll be using two strategies both currently at 48% (which was all my Rep could afford). To that end, I've enabled 'Patents Licencing' and 'Leadership Initiative'. Minmus lifter up and down This very basic lifter will also be used for the Mun, Duna, and Gilly missions which come next. Resetting those science parts Brought our Scientist along to reset the science modules. Would have been nice to get surface samples, but I guess they don't know how to use ziplock bags yet. Our first Monolith Found our first anomaly and was pleased to confirm that their discovery yields science and funds! Since I just completed a complete Anomaly Hunt playthrough, I'm pretty sure I can locate every anomaly in the game and scoop their mysteries for fun and profit. Landed, but with less rocket than expected Was a little disappointed that it was turning into such a pain to recover the whole spacecraft, so let it burn up after failing to safely aerobrake it. Did manage to get some nice photos from the Shores though, so that helped (?). Next mission will be two or three Mun landings (depending on how much dV I can squeeze into 30 parts and low-tech). In that post I'll also put up the Worlds First achievements to date. KSC Upgrade Status: [■] [ ] Administration Building [■] [ ] Astronaut Complex [ ] [ ] Mission Control [■] [ ] Launch Pad [ ] [ ] Research and Development [ ] [ ] Runway [ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar [■] [ ] Tracking Station [ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building *New upgrade Admin Strategies: Patents Licencing - 48% Leadership Initiative - 48% Funds in the Bank: 75104 Science points available: 135.1 Tech Tree:

Had to look at the thread as I've just never had a use for that one, and it says 1.4.x.. are you playing in that version? Just curious At any rate, it seems to scale mass/cost 'fairly', so yeah sure go ahead on that one, too.

Update to the Settings/Self-imposed rules Disabled Other Launchsites as those science points are too easy. I may fly there to get them, but not as a click-launch-score situation. No ISRU (yes this is probably a bad idea). But, I think it just opens up the possibility for too much free money/fuel. Admin Strategies: Going to allow these as turning off Other Launchsites and banning ISRU entirely will make it hard enough. No space-travel in Command Seats (everyone needs a place to store their snacks, right?) First Mun Points and some upgrades Upgraded the Launch Pad to level 2 and the Astronaut Complex to level 2. Then two launches, one suborbital and the second an ambitious Munar flyby with a free-return trajectory (no tracking station). Got the World's Firsts for the Mun encounter and successfully tested the capsule design for high-speed re-entry. Used some of the funds earned from the mission to upgrade the Tracking Station to level 2 (that one hurt a bit!) but we're going to need to know where we're flying from now on. Launches: Cost: 7882 This wee solid-propellant rocket was used just to get the Science lab part into space to earn enough science to unlock enough points to get the Terrier engine. I need to start paying more attention to costs/unneeded parts. Why did I waste funds on nose cones?? Cost: 13130 This Munar flyby also tested the crew capsule with the integrated payload bay carrying the science parts. Was pleased that the mass of everything was still low enough to be safely recovered on land with a single chute. Nailed the free-return trajectory without the tracking station's help (I guess that's what >10k hours in KSP gets me), then boosted a bit to get the low-space achievement. Picked up a decent number of EVA science points while doing the low-space flyby then headed home. Forgot to get the low space mystery goo, but we'll send a scientist back here soon enough. Going to have to think on how to spend these SCIENCE points. I'm tempted to start heading out past Kerbin SOI but I know Minmus is easy picking. Or maybe build an El-Cheapo Air jet and harvest some points around Kerbin. KSC Upgrade Status: [ ] [ ] Administration Building [■] [ ] Astronaut Complex [ ] [ ] Mission Control [■] [ ] Launch Pad [ ] [ ] Research and Development [ ] [ ] Runway [ ] [ ] Spaceplane Hangar [■] [ ] Tracking Station [ ] [ ] Vehicle Assembly Building Funds in the Bank: 61135 Science Points available: 307 Tech Tree:

Thanks to @Superfluous J for posting this cool challenge! At first look, this challenge appeared to be long, possibly grindy, conceivably even leading to dead ends. Perfect! Entry: Pure Stock (GFX only) Custom settings (changes from 'Normal' default): Missing crew do not respawn Allow other launchsites on Decided it was too easy to get these science points Part Pressure limits on Part G-Force limits on Kerbal G-Force limits on Always allow action groups on Require signal for control on Self-imposed rules: No science lab No ore conversion Was initially going to allow ISRU but no selling of Ore for funds. Instead... No ISRU/drill use of any kind Crewed flights with no strandies (Crewed missions where possible and everyone flown gets home safe or they snuff it) No admin strategies (tentative - may flex this rule if pressed) No space-travel in Command Seats (everyone needs a place to store their snacks, right?) Not going to drive myself nuts trying to recover every part Three Launches and into orbit I'll try and get better documentation as things move along, but so far just three (4 counting an expensive test) launches with some tricky science-scooping, but not harvesting from the KSC by any means. In the first suborbital hop to around 12km, earned enough science to gain a few nodes and build up a sub-orbital flight up to 75km. Finally, a basic orbiter to high space wraps this update. Nothing unlocked yet at the KSC but have unlocked tier 1,2 and one node in tier 3 and 1 node in tier 4 with over 230k in the bank. Here's how it played out: This multi-stage solid rocket earned first to space but Jeb had to wait for liquid fuel for orbit. Two launches of the orbiter were done, with the second carrying a supply of science instruments and pushed up to high-space before recovering the crew. Am I happy about using an inline decoupler this way? No, but the mass was below 18t! With two flights of this goofy thing in the books, and Jeb getting his first star, it's time to think about spending some funds on KSC. Logically, the launch pad makes sense but maybe I'll see where we can go in 18t and get the tracking station up. The tech unlock was a direct line to the solar panels so we can spend some time in space, now it's time to get out there! KSC Upgrades: none Funds in the bank: 230,971 Tech tree:

Just the Facts, man I don't know what effort this is going to require, as I haven't done career since 1.4.x, and that was very modded. Anyways, I'm in! Entry: Pure Stock (GFX only) Custom settings (changes from 'Normal' default): Missing crew do not respawn Allow other launchsites on Part Pressure limits on Part G-Force limits on Kerbal G-Force limits on Always allow action groups on Require signal for control on

Eve flyby and crew recovery After dropping a few probes into Eve's aerosoup, the crew got a look at Eve from 106km. Too bad that I left this save in the default folder, as some mods broke (ie Scatterer) when KSP auto-updated., or Eve might not have looked so odd. Probe falling through the Purple Haze Once within Kerbin's SOI, the crew moved over to the EEM and departed their PMM. The PMM was discarded, but the main propulsion module was returned to LKO and could be reused, but came in on a very steep inclination so probably easier just to fly another one if I want to repeat the mission (not..). Scoring Total Cost: 430,239 Mass in LKO: 116.271 Dry mass: 67.251 Mass / Crew: 19.3785 Propellant Mass Fraction: 0.4216 Can it be my third time playing through this challenge? However, this was the first time I finally hit all the mission objectives (darn those Eve probes!). This time, the cost was quite high as the effort to make the ship resemble its 'real-life' counterpart added plenty of parts. Optimizing the dV needs kept the propellant mass fraction reasonable but didn't attempt the SCIENCE points. Maybe this will get a revisit when KSP2 comes out..

Konstellation + JNSQ - Duna Mission Complete, Krew headed home Crew arriving at Duna While wrapping up the Mun missions, the Duna mission completed their landing and surface stay. The Habitat with re-dockable rover landed near the pre-landed ascent module. The rover didn't have much climbing power, but still managed to make a few ascents for flags and foto ops. Crew in their Habitat landing near the ascent module Some strange features on Duna include what appear to be ploughed fields and floating rocks. Maybe floating rocks are normal KSP or some artifact of JNSQ, but they seemed to be persistently floating not spawned-in. A flag left behind by the rover expedition remained there after the crew had moved on. Bill claims this floating rock in the name of Anti-Gravity Research The ascent module is a two-stage to orbit for all 6 krew. Maximizing their surface time, the interplanetary craft lit up the nukes and headed home immediately once the krew was on board. Going home Probably going to skip the space teleskope, so once the krew makes it back home should wrap up this JNSQ Konstellation mission. Even without the telescope mission, this won't be a maximum points entry, having missed some science points (surface biomes) on Duna. Anyone else up to an upscaled KSP run-through of this challenge? I must say that using this platform to explore JNSQ was very rewarding. Not to mention the scale-shock when going back to stock KSP Pre-landing crew transfer (someone forgot a docking port, didn't they?)

Good to go on these!

Yes I've seen it.

Konstellation + JNSQ - Mun Missions Complete and a Wild Mountain Drive A 9-krew Altair set down in the bottom of a deep crater near a steep cliff. Later, a modified Cargo Altair set down next to it and dropped off a 2 krew pressurized rover. Feeling brave (and noting that F5/F9 is your friend), two kerbs set out on their ascent. Amazingly capable rover for just a command pod and four tires! Next up will be the Duna landing and perhaps the telescope, but does anyone know what the stationary orbit around JNSQ's sun is? I tried to calculate it but...

First crew of four departs for Duna! Launch 1: Nuclear tug Reusable twin-engine NERVA with a two-seat crew pod and limited life support needs. This will return the first two crew home after their short stay. Launch 2: 8-seat base module with communication sat network

On something like this: With the propulsion modules docked (separate launches): (This was going to JNSQ Duna, explaining the twin nuclear tugs..)

Great design! And a good way to gain some staged-away TWR with a single decoupler. Or, when you have to land a base and rover on Duna: But, yeah @JoeSchmuckatelli, the Thud was a real dog when it was new. A quick read of the wiki shows that it's been made lighter, increased power, decreased mass, increased gimbal and prettified.

Ah, that makes sense. The Kerbal Planetary Base Systems pack is great, approved, and incorporated into my next run at this mission.

Hi @jinnantonix, great question on the USI-LS system. I, too, wanted to explore the full ability of that mod's sustainability. The thing is that the mod suite also includes extra-planetary construction of more than just resources (the Orbital Construction Yard and Mobile Launch Platform specifically). I sure hate banning the whole suite for that, though. Since I never actually looked too deeply at it, do you have any feedback on how it works and fights the 'only launched parts from Kerbin' rule?

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(I'm going to delete this message and hope no one notices)

So.. question: How do you get things out of the shuttle with the top opening?

This, a mile wide. I'll have to check out that script, thank you for sharing.

Fun! Aerodynamic flight on Duna is not an inviting proposal so that makes total sense. Curious about your custom converter.. what are its inputs/outputs? Does that shuttle go interplanetary?

Okay.. let's get this thing underway.. 32t TO LKO PAYLOAD TEST WITH BOOSTER RECOVERY With all the progress that others are making on their challenge attempt, I felt motivated to pick this up again. I was close to starting the play-through, but had a design block. I built a modular base. I designed and tested the lifter. I built the transport and shuttle. And then I hit a mass-limit wall that pretty much blew the whole plan. The original mission design was using USI life support but by the time I'd planned out the first 10 or so launches, life support needs were pushing payload limits to the point of compromising the mission. Trying again pretty much same base, shuttle and lifter with these mods: Feline Utility Rovers Planetary Base Systems Stockalike Station Parts Redux Restock TAC Life Support Kerbal Alarm Clock KRASH (Kerbal Simulator) Stock Visual Terrain Sci-Fi Visual Enhancements Primary Lifter: 32t NPM Reusable: Yes Days between new lifter: 192

@BrightBritches Didn't officially welcome you to the challenge so.. Welcome to the Challenge! Having done this challenge and its predecessor a number of times, I can attest that the hardest thing isn't planning, it's making it to the end. The nuclear shuttle and MinMiner look awesome. @Laie This is looking very impressive! Particularly like the shuttles ...but I don't think I'd want to try landing it on Duna. How is TAC integrating with the base parts mod? Nice job with the contingency plan! Looks like TAC-LS is the most popular choice for LS mods.. maybe it's time to step back into this mission myself..

5 x Mailsail on first stage 5 x Skipper on second stage 1 x Skipper on third stage 1 x Poodle on CM 4 x Twitch on the LM descent 1 x Spark on LM ascent

You also! Lots of changes there for you, hope all is going well. RL-ing can easily leave little time for KSP-ing.

Far out, thanks! Btw I think players of a certain "vintage" such as us (you beat me by only 29 days!) have necro-immunity.